


The Days After

by OllieCollie



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: All of the sadness, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Losing a best friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-11-02 06:00:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20645258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OllieCollie/pseuds/OllieCollie
Summary: They'd lost more than a friend that day; they'd lost a brother—a part of themselves.Nuzo's killers may have been taken care of, but the heartache they'd caused would remain for a long time to come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a three-chapter story, each with a different POV (and each can be read separately as stand-alones).
> 
> From the moment I saw the pilot episode, I knew I wanted to write this story. Because we all know Magnum and the guys had to have dealt with manyyy emotions after losing one of their best friends.
> 
> Drop a comment if you get a chance; feedback is the best! 
> 
> Standard disclaimers apply.

** _Thomas_ **

_ I couldn't save him. _

He shot awake with a gasp, heart pounding so hard he could practically hear it. The words rang over and over in his mind. _ I couldn't save him. _

Sweat dribbled down his face and neck; his shirt was drenched. It took more than two seconds for him to recognize where he was—Robin Masters' guest house.

With a sigh, Thomas threw the covers aside and rolled out of bed. The pitch black was too much. He stumbled to the kitchen and flipped the lights on, still trying to rid himself of the chokingly painful memories. _ I couldn't save him. _

Thomas filled a glass with water, ignoring the fact that his hands were trembling the entire time.

How could he have let it happen? 

Nuzo's face flashed before him. Only, it wasn't the cheery eyes and joking grin that had been there just a week ago. Instead, vacant eyes stared back at Thomas, the crimson bloodstains stark against the pale face of the former SEAL.

It just wasn't fair. After everything they'd been through, after everything Nuzo had done for Thomas—he was gone. He survived a POW camp just to die in the hands of a couple of greedy ex-Marines. 

The glass thunked on the counter harder than Thomas meant to let it. Water sloshed over the edge, dripping over his hands and down to the floor. The thought that Higgins was not going to be pleased with the mess—even if it _ was _just water—faded as quickly as it came.

Some form of a moan escaped Magnum's lips as he leaned back against the wall and let himself slide down to the kitchen floor. Countless memories flipped through his mind like a slideshow. 

_ "T.M., stay with me! Don't you leave us!" _

_ "To your three o’clock!" _

_ "Hey, I'm right here, man. You're good. It's all good." _

Nuzo had saved his life more times than he could count—he put everything on the line for his friends. So why was it that the one time he needed help, Magnum completely let him down?

Thomas vaguely registered the fact that tears were now steadily streaming down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Nuzo," he choked out, knees curled up to his chest, hands clutching at his tousled hair helplessly. He'd been so focused on finding his friend's killers at the time—he hadn't really processed the true magnitude of the loss. He'd had to be strong for his friends and Nuzo's family. Now, alone with nothing but memories to keep him company, he found himself sobbing, wishing he had been quicker, wishing that he had been able to help his brother. Wondering if it was just another horrible nightmare he'd be woken from by T.C. and Nuzo's laughter while Rick was trying to play some stupid prank on him. 

But it wasn't. 

Reality continued to sink in. Nuzo wasn't coming back. They'd gotten him justice, sure, but it didn't fill the emptiness that seemed to have found a permanent place in Thomas's heart. 

One day, maybe, the pain wouldn't be quite so deep. Thomas would play it off like he was fine, hiding his wounds behind teasing eyes and a smart mouth. They'd all reminisce about the good times, talk about the happy memories. 

Eventually, maybe, they'd be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to say this chapter is my favorite (mostly because I love Rick so much *gives him alll the hugs*), but I was editing again and decided that it is honestly too hard to choose!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this next installment. :) Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

** _Rick_ **

_ It shouldn't have happened. _

One minute, Rick was completely fine, chilling at the club and joking around like he didn't have a care in the world. The next, he found himself on his knees on the cold tile of the bathroom floor, hugging the toilet as he hurled. 

_ It shouldn't have happened. _

Why was it all coming up now? He and Thomas and T.C. had taken care of the jerks—to label them kindly—who had taken one of their best friends from them. He should feel better. But he didn't.

Several minutes passed before Rick groaned and hauled himself to his feet. He should probably get back out there before someone came looking for him to ask why he'd bolted so suddenly. Thankfully, it was still early and there wasn't much of a crowd at the bar yet.

He stepped out of the bathroom stall and moved over to the sink, stopping to splash some water on his face.

_ It shouldn't have happened. _

Rage welled up from deep inside him. "Argh!" His fist slammed into the small mirror above the singular sink. He barely noticed the red stain left behind on the fractured glass. 

Nuzo was a great guy. More than that, he was part of the crazy, slightly dysfunctional family that was him, T.C., and Magnum. They all had a special bond. To have that ripped away so unexpectedly was more than Rick could handle. And he was angry. Angry at the men who took Nuzo, angry that he and the others couldn't get to him in time. Perhaps the anger was a mask, attempting to cover the hurt and grief lurking underneath the surface.

He glanced down at his hand.  _ Ouch.  _ Blood dribbled down from multiple cuts on his knuckles. Nuzo would have made fun of him for ruining a good mirror—and his hand.

Rick huffed and grabbed some paper towels to wrap around the injury.

Honestly, Rick just couldn't make sense of any of it. He always thought it would always be the four of them, living out their days in Hawaii, partying, having good times, eventually all settling down and starting families—Nuzo had already been ahead in that regard. 

No, it didn't make sense at all. And he doubted it ever would. Just like how it didn't make sense that Hannah had betrayed Thomas—all of them, really, and left them in that hellhole to die.

For the thousandth time, he wondered if he could’ve done something different, something that would’ve changed the outcome of the situation.

Nuzo often told him not to dwell on what-ifs. Said they were dangerous. Maybe he was right, but Rick couldn’t help it.  _ Could I have gotten the information faster? Sent the ambulance’s location to Thomas quicker? _

He didn’t think it would end this way. He’d assumed everything would turn out fine, like it always did. Boy, had he been wrong.

With one last look in the cracked mirror, Rick took a deep breath and left the restroom.  _ Look ahead.  _ It’s what Nuzo said a lot, after they’d escaped. After they’d come to Hawaii.

_ Look ahead.  _ He heard the whisper in his mind and knew immediately what Nuzo would want for him—for all of them. 

It was gonna hurt like heck, but he would try to look ahead for his friends’ sake. Never in a million years would they ever forget their brother in arms, their best friend.

And eventually, maybe, they’d be okay.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, folks! I meant to post this last chapter a lot sooner.

** _T.C._ **

_ It’s not okay. _

Despite the countless reassurances to himself of the contrary, T.C. knew none of it was true.  _ Because it’s not okay. _

_ “It’ll be okay.”  _ He’d said it. Rick had said it. Thomas had said it. They did their best to comfort Lara and Jake. It didn’t matter; it wasn’t okay.  _ They  _ weren’t okay. And who could blame them? To think of what they'd all lost so suddenly—a brother, a husband, a father...and for what?

T.C. growled under his breath and forced the helicopter to go faster. He needed the flight, to distance himself and just leave it all behind, to at least try to get his mind off of things for a while. It wasn’t helping much; the thoughts followed him up into the air.

Everyone always pretended everything was fine. For heaven’s sake,  _ he  _ and the guys did it all the time. Laughed things off, joked during the worst of times. It’s what got them through eighteen months of straight-up hell.

_ It’s not okay.  _ It definitely wasn’t okay, what those men had done to Nuzo. He still couldn’t believe it had happened. After what the four of them had survived, he’d always thought they were somewhat invincible. Just like in the White Knight books.

The copter went faster as he tried to outfly the numbness in his chest. Trees whizzed by underneath him, air whipping through the open sides of the giant bird. The cheery blue sky and shimmering ocean seemed so wrong. A rainstorm would be much more fitting—it would match his current mood. T.C. sighed.

He could still picture the pain etched deep into Thomas's face when they'd found Nuzo. He could still hear the slight waver in Rick’s voice that would’ve gone undetected by anyone besides him and Thomas.  _ “We’re gonna get these guys, right?” _

Well, they had. It was the least they could do, get justice for their friend. T.C. didn’t often wish pain on others, but he would be lying if he said the fiery death Nuzo’s killers had experienced wasn’t deserved.

Old memories washed up in T.C.’s mind, leaving a sad smile playing on his features. Meeting the guys for the first time—now  _ that  _ had been interesting—escaping the POW camp, coming to Hawaii for a fresh start, and everything in between. They’d always been there for each other, through the good times and the bad. Countless missions and operations with the people he trusted the most at his side—he never wanted anything else. He’d gladly go to hell and back for his brothers—and really, they had. 

Sure, Thomas was a full-out idiot sometimes, Nuzo could spin the wildest stories, and Rick told the worst jokes, but T.C. could always count on them to have his six—no matter what.

For a moment, he (definitely didn't close his eyes because he was flying a helicopter and that would just be an accident waiting to happen) imagined it was any other op in the Afghanistan heat. He was in the pilot’s seat, Thomas was at his side, Rick and Nuzo in the back of the helicopter. Ready for anything; prepared to take on the world. 

T.C. shot a quick glance down at the ring on his finger—the cross of Lorraine. He thought about the pact he’d made with the three men who meant the most to him.

No, it wasn’t all right. It wasn’t fine. Things would never be the same. Their definition of the word “okay” would have to change, because what it once meant, it would never mean again.

He would miss their foursome and the good times they’d had together. 

But eventually, maybe, they’d be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope those feels didn't hit you *too* hard! ;P 
> 
> Please leave a comment and share your thoughts! Thank you for reading!


End file.
